


Spooky Happenings

by theplatinthehat



Series: The Doctor and The Cellist [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, Haunted Castle, Space Theme Park, Tumblr Prompt, adventures in time and space, cuddly toys, theme park, winning on the anti-grav coconuts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:14:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23909050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theplatinthehat/pseuds/theplatinthehat
Summary: Manzini's Marvellous World of Adventure - the 43rd CenturyThe Doctor and Clara are reunited over reports of a truly haunted haunted castle.But what horrors await them inside?
Relationships: The Doctor & Clara Oswin Oswald, The Doctor & Original Female Character
Series: The Doctor and The Cellist [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704577
Kudos: 3





	Spooky Happenings

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: 13, Clara, haunted castle - thank you to createdbytom on Tumblr for the suggestion! I hope you like the result :)

“Look. All I’m asking is that once, just _once,_ we go to a theme park that isn’t totally creepy,” Clara whines, fingers tightening around her umbrella.

The Doctor pulls an offended face, blonde hair flicking out as she turns to face Clara. “But where would be the fun in that? Besides, for once, it’s not my fault you’re here.”

This part, Clara has to admit, is true. She and Me had been roaming around the galaxy in their TARDIS and decided to spend the day exploring _Marvellous Manzini’s World of Adventure –_ the 43rd Century’s answer to the dilapidated _Hedgwick’s World of Wonders._ This theme park, at least, wasn’t infested with Cybermen and trigger-happy army personnel. It was, however, home to a haunted castle that was purported to be actually haunted. Clara had overheard the staff talking about it, and agreed to help out the park’s expert.

An expert that turned out to be the Doctor, with a brand-new face and an active enthusiasm for so-called ‘spooky happenings’.

“Well, yes, I suppose,” Clara replies, ducking to avoid getting a face full of cobwebs. “But what is it with you and looking for trouble?”

“I don’t look for it. It finds me. Besides,” the Doctor says to Clara with a smile, “you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

That’s also true.

The sonic suddenly bleeps into life. Clara, already a little spooked by the number of things that have fallen over for no reason whatsoever, jumps a bit closer to the Doctor.

“What is it?” she hisses.

The Doctor holds up the sonic screwdriver, now yellow instead of the green Clara had come to love, and regards it with a frown.

“There’s a presence here.”

“Where in particular?”

She scans the room with a sweep of her arm and analyses the results. “Not far. Seems to be coming this way.”

There’s a clatter and both of them jump. This time, a prop lamp has fallen over and smashed to the floor.

Clara exhales loudly. “I suppose we ought to find out what the presence is?”

“Yes,” the Doctor replies. “If my readings are right, and they usually are, then it should be right behind that,” she says, pointing to a heavy oak door.

The pair of them creep over, Clara raising the umbrella to strike if necessary. They press themselves against the wood and the Doctor closes her hand around the metal handle.

“On three?” she asks.

Clara nods.

“Okay then. One, two, _three_!”

The Doctor lifts the latch and pushes the door open. A huge furry body steps into view, tentacles trailing in all directions. The two of them, caught completely off-guard, step back with a scream.

A face pops out from behind the creature.

“Hey, guys,” Cat asks with a grin. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much,” the Doctor says brightly, “just investigating some spooky happenings.”

“We thought you were a monster,” Clara growls, more than a little annoyed with the part-time companion.

“Aww, that’s no way to talk about Lester,” Cat says, putting the furry creature on the ground – the thing still big enough to come up to her hip. “I know he’s got tentacles, but we should overcome our differences and embrace all aspects of life.”

“I could have hit you with my umbrella!”

“Wouldn’t have done Lester any harm. He’s a cuddly toy. Oh, check this out – ” she says, giving the wretched thing a squeeze.

A warbly _woooo!_ crackles out of the internal speaker, causing the Doctor to laugh again

“Well – ” Clara starts before looking at the thing on the ground. “You called that Lester?”

“I think that’s a great name!” the Doctor chirps, bending down to pick up the mass of purple fluff and giving it a cuddle. “And he’s got three eyes too!”

“I know! Isn’t he marvellous?”

“Did you win him on the anti-gravity coconuts?”

“Yep – first time lucky!”

“Oh wow! I’m impressed!”

Cat shrugs at the Doctor’s compliment. “What can I say? Product of a misspent youth.”

“Why are you here?” Clara asks, determined to get the conversation away from – from _that_ thing and onto a proper topic. “ _How_ are you here?”

“Looking for you,” Cat replies, taking back custody of Lester. “After the Doctor ditched me to find something more fun to do than the nine-legged pony rides I figured I’d ask the staff whether they’d seen an excitable woman with a sky-blue coat and they pointed me in this direction. Found the castle, broke in through the emergency exit and here we are. Why _are_ you two here anyway?”

“Spooky happenings,” the Doctor says with wide eyes. “Employees reckon this castle is haunted. And I know the sign on the outside says ‘haunted castle’ but they reckon it’s _properly_ haunted.”

“And we’re the Ghostbusters,” Clara explains as Cat nods.

“Oh cool. What have you found?”

“Not much,” Clara says.

“No that’s not true,” the Doctor interjects. “Things have been moving.”

“Doctor, an old rickety _lamp_ falling over does not count as a spooky happening.”

There’s a loud bang and a series of clatters from behind them. The three of them jump, facing back-to-back and surveying their immediate surroundings.

“What was _that?_ ” Cat asks, clutching Lester a little bit tighter.

The sonic abruptly blooms back into life with a _zing!_ The Doctor’s face lights up with a huge grin.

“I don’t know, but the sonic is pretty excited. And it’s this way,” she yells, running off down the corridor. “Come on, you two!”

Clara and Cat look at each other with twin smiles.

“Good to see some things never change,” Clara grins.

The two of them laugh before charging down the corridor after the Doctor – Lester’s tentacles dragging along behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> This is an ongoing series which will include some flash-fiction, some short stories and some longer adventures. If you like you can send a prompt with a time/place/Doctor/companion suggestion to my tumblr [theplatinthehat](https://tumblr.com/theplatinthehat) and we'll see what I can come up with. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this story.
> 
> Thanks to [picnokinesis](https://tumblr.com/picnokinesis) for the beta!


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